Yun Shang heard him and her anger grew. She was so mad that she smiled, "Filthy? I've seen much filthier businesses than that! Now that Hua Jing is out of jail, she would be the first person that Prince Qingsu would visit. How could I miss that rare chance? And also, uncle, don't you think that I can mind my own business? I don't need you to worry about me."
Prince Jing whacked the table. "Mind your own business? If you really knew how to mind your own business, you wouldn't be so foolish as to go near Prince Qingsu! I've done a lot of business with him, and I know what he is capable of. And what do you mean by not worrying about you? I'm your uncle, and also your fiancé. Am I not allowed to worry about you?"
Yun Shang's mouth curved into a smile. "Well, as for that, I still have my doubts. The very reason that you asked for the imperial marriage edict from father is unknown. But I do know that your purpose can't be pure. In that case, we both have something that we want, so the marriage is nothing but a business deal. I'll make myself clear. Don't intervene with my arrangements anymore."
Seeing her so stubborn, Prince Jing sighed. He thought about how worried he got when his servants reported that Yun Shang had gone to Hua Jing's Palace. His whole heart had jumped to his throat. The only thing that occurred to him was to bring Yun Shang back and scold her. And he had done so. It just seemed that Yun Shang wasn't buying his kindness. Well, yeah, he had his thoughts and plans about the marriage, but what he felt for Yun Shang was true. He wouldn't admit it earlier, but with more denial, his feelings for her grew stronger.
Prince Jing hesitated and kept silent for a while. He calmed down and walked to a chair. After a while, he said, "Since you brought it up, let's make it clear. You and I need to talk it through."
Seeing that Prince Jing suddenly became serious, Yun Shang found her peace, too. She sat down, but still showed no expression on her cold face. She said in a low voice, "What do you want to talk about?"
"Do you think that all I have done for you is fake and just part of a plan? Including what happened at the frontier? And also the marriage that I asked for?" Prince Jing rolled his jade ring, and asked in a steady tone.
Yun Shang smiled, "Am I wrong?"
Prince Jing wasn't mad at her reply. Since he had made up his mind to talk it through, he certainly needed to tell her the truth. "Not exactly. I do have a purpose to ask for the imperial marriage edict for us from brother. Since you've always wanted to know what my purpose is, I'll tell you today. The main reason that I asked for the marriage is that I want to come back and stay in the Imperial City. You guessed about my ambition regarding the royal position, and I didn't hide it from you. And even your father is aware of my ambition. But your father feared me for two re
e I went back to my own mansion. Who would have thought that you would stab me without a blink? And right after I left Qingxin Palace that night, I risked being sentenced to prison by going to find brother in Qinzheng Hall to exchange half of the Hufu for our marriage."
Yun Shang had some doubts in her mind. She was well aware that for Prince Jing, leaving his position without permission and breaking into her Palace in the middle of the night were both felonies. If father wanted to pursue the matter, he could place a crime of attempted murder of the Royals on Prince Jing. Besides, she almost believed most of his words.
Being so young and not having cultivated her own strong power yet, she couldn't stop Prince Jing if he really wanted to poison Lady Jin. And if he went further, he could even poison her father.
"Aren't you afraid that I will tell father about all this?" Yun Shang put a faint smile on her face and asked Prince Jing.
Prince Jing raised his eyebrow and smiled. "You wouldn't. Even if you tell him, you don't have solid evidence to prove any of it. And even if brother believes you, he still can't find a way to deal with me."
"So why did you tell me all this?"
Prince Jing smiled reluctantly. "Because of you. I've noticed that you've become a different person than who you were at the border. You were gentle and obeyed rules in the camp, but now you're acting like a hedgehog and you target me all the time. Now that I have feelings for you, I don't want that kind of thing to happen again. That's why I am explaining everything to you. Besides, we have our deal. We need to form an alliance to get rid of the Empress and the Li clan together."
Even though Yun Shang had lived two lives, she still felt embarrassed about Prince Jing's frank and straightforward confession. Yun Shang blushed and lowered her head. Then she murmured, "Please give me some time to think it through......"